Global leaders are drinking the Kool-Aid
Central Banksters are drinking their own Kool-Aid
Sheeple are high on Kool-Aid
EconoDunces are stoned on Kool-Aid
Wall Street is swimming in Kool-Aid:
"It's been an easy few years to make money"
"That is to say, the S&P 500 hasn't performed this dependably since the dotcom bubble."
So that's the "good" news, now for some real news: How can gasoline demand, retail demand, grocery demand, restaurant demand, auto demand all be down at the same time, while prices for all of the above are stable or declining, especially food and gasoline. Even as consumer confidence hovers at cycle highs?
Stores are closing at alarming rate. The number so far this year is triple what it was in the same period last year
There have been 5,300 store closing announcements through June 20, making it the second worst year on record at the six-month mark. The worst year ever for store closings was 2008 during the Great Recession, when Credit Suisse counted 6,163 closings. But 2017 is poised to easily surpass that.
Comparing 2008s full year monthly rate to 2017s six year rate:
In the last cycle, consumer sentiment followed the fortunes of the retail sector or vice versa. In this cycle, there is a massive disconnect...
2 + 2 = 5
"Unemployment is down, consumer confidence is up, and gas prices and interest rates are still low."
Trump country who buy most domestic vehicles, especially pickup trucks is hurting BAD. Whereas the above article indicates that foreign imports (aka. city vehicles) rose modestly:
Today:
ZH: Auto Parts Sector Implodes, Blaming Weather, Amazon, Mexicans
aka. the usual denialistic suspects...
Domestic auto sales are also heavily tied to...the Energy industry, which is experiencing strong inverse dominance under Trump...
To be fair and balanced, city latte drinkers are living in a fantasy world of their own too...
Whole Foods is imploding Kroger:
And Whole Foods is imploding Whole Foods as well, not withstanding Amazon's impending buyout...
No one can afford beer anymore
Nor Campbell's Soup
How is this global con job possible you say?
Centrally coordinated Kool-Aid:
